Connecter



0a. 1, 1935 T, g. MCDOWELL 2,015,953

CONNECTER Filed May 7, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 051.. l, 1935. I MCDOWELL 2,015,953

ICONNECTER Filed May 7, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .ZWIZ/EZWYEF Jamas o? fizoa/afl Patented Oct. 1, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE commerce Application May I, 1934, Serial No. 724,254

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to connecters'and more particularly to separable electrical connecters which are forced together and apart by' rectilinear movement, and which are provided A! with means for automatically lockingthe parts' together when the contacts reachfully engaged position.

The invention is herein illustrated and described in connection with a plug and receptacle l0: arrangement for use in external electrical conductors. However, it is to be understood that the invention is applicable generally to connectersr An object or the present invention is to provide 5 a separable electrical connecter with means for fignatically locking together the separable Another object of the invention is to provide a separable connecter which may be locked to- 01 gether by a rectilinear movement of the parts toward each other and unlocked by a simple twist of the wrist or the operator. A

A im'ther object of the invention is to provid in a'separable connecter comprising parts which are forced together and apart by: rectilinear movement, and in which a sleeve mounted on one 01' said members, is adapted for limited ro-' tative movement for carrying one of the interlocking or engaging members whereby the two parts may be connected together by rectilinear movement without rotation of the sleeve and whereby the parts may be unlocked by a simple twist of the sleeve. I

The above other and further objects of the invention will be apparent fromv the following description and accompanying drawings and the printed claims:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a separable connecter made in accordance with the principles of the present invention showing the two parts or members in connected or engaged position.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal viewshowing in section certain elements of the connecter, and showing in elevation certain other elements. -'This view is taken longitudinally through the connecter oi. Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view taken transversely in the plane of the line indicated at III1]I in Figure 1 and showing the end of the core in elevation.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken in the plane of the line IV-1V of Figure 2 with the core of the receptacle removed.

I Figure 5 is a fragmental sectional view through 55 a modified form of locking means for locking together the separable members of the connecter.

Figure 6 is an elevational view of a connecter constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and elongated, to receive, .51

in the core of a the plug member certain fuse elements.

Figure 7 is a view partially in elevation and partially in section through the connecter of Figlustrated in Figures 6 and 'l. 1,5

Figure 9 is a fragmental elevational view of the illustrated form of locking means for the separable parts or members and showing in one position, the parts as locked and in another position the parts unlocked ready for separation by 20- a pulling force.

The drawings will now be explained:

The connecter as herein illustrated cbmprises a plug member designated generally as A and v a receptacle memberor part designated generally 25,, as B. The members or parts A and B are connected together and separated by rectilinear movement.

The plug member A includes a cylindrical metal casing I closed at one end except for an 30 opening in which is inserted a metal nipple 2 through which electricalconductors for the plug may pass. The metal nipple is threaded on its exterior to receive a cap 3 which cap is apertured at l for entrance of a conductor 5. A tapered 36 resilient washer 6 is inserted in the nipple to receive the conductor 5 and to be compressed by screwing the cap 3 onto the nipple to compress the washer against the conductor and thus prevent movement of the conductor in the plug 49- member or part.

Within the casing I is an insulating body 'I to which are secured pin type plug contacts 8, which contacts 8 cooperate with socket contacts in the insulating body I8 of the receptacle B. 45.

A sleeve 9 surrounds the casing I and projects beyond the outer face of the plug body or core I to include within its pmjecting portion part of the receptacle B. The sleeve 9 is retained on the casing l against axial or endwise move- 60, ment by means of screws l0 threaded'into the casing I and body I, with the heads of the screws lying in elongated slots ll formed in the sleeve 9. The mounting of the sleeve in the manner stated, allows limited rotative movement of the 5- sleeve with respect to its member. The screws it serve to connect the casing i to the plug body l and retain the body in proper position within the casing.

A spring 62 is disposed about the outer end of the casing l and within the outer end of the sleeve 9 and is arranged with an extremity 'l3 engaged in an opening in the sleeve and its other extremity Id lying within an axially extending indentation l5 formed in the casing I efiective to maintain the sleeve at the limit of rotative movement in one direction.

outer end of which is open for the entrance of a pin, to be later described.

For convenience in twisting the parts or members of the separable connecter for unlocking, the sleeve is knurled as at H.

The receptacle B comprises an insulating body I8 carrying socket contact members, not shown. Surrounding the insulating body I8 is a metallic casing I 9 which has an end provided with an opening to receive a nipple 20, which carries a cap 2! for compressing a resilient washer 22 about an electrical conductor 23 entering the receptacle member or part. The interior diameter of the sleeve 9, of the plug member A is adapted to receive the metallic casing IQ of the receptacle member B when the parts are moved toward each other for locking connection.

The pin contact members 8 of the plug member A are provided with binding screws 214 for connection of electrical wires 25 forming part of the conductor 5. In like manner, the socket contacts of the receptacle body iii are provided with binding screws 26 to connect electrical wires 2'! to the sockets. The wires 2'! form a conductor 23.

Within the hood I 6, and against the under side thereof, at the entrance end of the hood, :is secured, as by means of rivets 28 the head 23 of an L-shaped detent member 30. The detent member 30 is illustrated as consisting of a springy finger, which is fiat and with its free end bent or curved to lie out of the plane of the fixed end or head 29, in normal position to lie as shown in Figure 2, that is, with the free endlspaced from the top wall of the hood l6 of the sleeve 9. The free end of the detent 30 is spaced from the end wall of the hood a slight distance.

Secured to the casing. I9 of the receptacle member B is a pin 3| disposed to aline with the hood l6 and underlie the detent member 30 when the two parts are moved together for connection. The entry of the pin 3| into the hood l6, serves to guide the plug and receptacle members A and B respectively in proper position for connecting the proper pin and socket contacts of the connecter.

As the plug andreceptacle parts A and 1B are moved together in rectilinear movement, the easing I9 is entered into the open end of the sleeve 3 with the pin 3| entering the hood l6. As soon as the pin 3| enters the hood IS, the pin contacts i5 enter the socket contacts of the receptacle member B and thus aid in guiding the two parts together as the same are forced together in rectilinear movement. During the movement of the two parts towards each other, the pin 3| slides underneath the spring detent 3B displacing it from normal position, until the contacts reach fully engaged position, whereupon the pin 3i passes the extremity of the detent 30 which 'detent then snaps behind the pin 3i with snap acwise separation.

The sleeve is provided with an. outwardly offset portion constituting a hood IS, the

The connection of the two parts A and 1B in the manner stated is effected without imparting any rotation to the sleeve 9.

To unlock the plug and receptacle members A and B, the operator grasps these parts and sim- 5 ply twists the sleeve 9 to rotate it sufiiciently so that the extremity of the detent 30 is moved from behind the pin 3! whereupon the part may be separated by rectilinear movement. Figure 9 illustrates the detent 30 lying behind the pin 34, w in locking engagement and also indicates the position of the detent 30 when the sleeve 9 is rotated to free the detent from looking engagement with the pin 3i.

In order to facilitate separation of the parts, 5,5 the casing I9 is knurled as at 32. I

The caps 6 and M are likewise knurled for ease in forcing the washers E and 22 against the conductors 5 and 23 respectively.

The locking means for the separable connecter, 2%} just described, prevents separation of the parts by pulling force, except by rotation of the sleeve 9 about the plug member A.

Sometimes customers demand that the locking means be so arranged that abnormal pull- 25 ing strain imposed on the connected members of the separable connecter, separate the members to prevent injury to some of the parts.

Figure 5 illustrates one manner of accomplishing this purpose. In Figure 5, the detent member 80 33 is made similarly to the detent member 30 heretofore described except that its free end is upturned slightly as at 34. The connecter is arranged with the locking means of Figure 5 connected in the manner heretofore described, and 85 the parts are disconnected by rotating the sleeve 9 on its casing to free the engagement of the detent 33 from behind the pin 3|. Should, however, abnormal pulling strain be placed on the connecter then these parts. might be separated 40 by a pulling force without rotating the sleeve 9, because of the upturned foot 34 of the detent 33.

The insulating body l8 of the receptacle member or part B is retained in position by means of screws 35 threaded into the casing l9 and into 45 apertures in the insulating body 18.

The separable connecter illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8 includes a receptacle part or member B, as heretofore described and a plug member 0 which is longer than the plug member A to provide space for fuses within the plug.

The insulating body of the plug member or part B is made in two parts 36 and 31 having in their respective parts bores 38 and 39 for fuses 40 and 4|. The part 36 of the body is provided with short posts 42 having binding screws 43 for connecting thereto the wires 44 of the conductor 55.

Within the bores 38 are metallic cups 46 for receiving the adjacent ends of the fuses 40 and 4|. These cups are electrically connected to the posts 42 by heading over the posts at 41 within the cups.

In like manner, the bores 39 of the part 31 are provided with cups 48 for receiving the adjacent ends of the fuses 40 and H, which cups are electrically connected to posts 49 by heading" over the posts at 5|! within the cups. The posts 49 constitute the pin contact members of the plug member or part C.

A metal casing 5| is secured to the outer end of the part 36 of the insulating body of the plug member or part C. In this casing is supported a nipple 52 for receiving a cap 53 to compress the re-- silient washer 54 about the conductor 45.

The bodies 36 and 31 are secured together after the fuses 40 and 4| have been inserted, by means of screws 55 entered through the outer face of the part 31 of the insulating body.

A sleeve 56 surrounds the insulating body the plug member or part B and is rotatably mounted thereon, for limited movement, by means of a spring 56' operating and functioning as the spring l2 heretofore described. The sleeve 56 is retained on the insulating body by means ofc screws 5'! threaded through apertures in the cars-- ing 5] and entering apertures in the insulating body 38. The sleeve is provided with elongated recesses 58 for the heads of the screws 51, which detent 33 as the case demands.

The separable connecter as shown in Figures 6 and 7 is operated in the manner described with reference to the connecter of Figures 1 and 2.

It will be observed that the separable connecter, herein described, issimple in construction, emcient in use and economical to manufacture and one which may be readily connected or disconnected.

The invention has been described herein more or less precisely as to details, yet it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereby, as changes may be made in the arrangement and proportion of parts, and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A separable electric connecter comprising a pair of connectible members, plug and socket contacts thereon, a sleeve on one of said connectible members and capable of limited rotary motion relatively thereto, a pin on the other of said connectible members, a spring tongue on said sleeve adapted to slide over and have the free end thereof abut said pin to hold said pair of connectible members in locked position, said connectible members being adapted to be put in locked and assembled condition without necessitating rotation of said sleeve and being adapted to be unlocked by rotation of said sleeve, and a spring urging said sleeve to maintain it in locked position when said pair of members are in their assembled relation.

2. A separable electric connecter comprising a pair of connectible members, plug and socket'contacts thereon, a sleeve on one of said connectible members and capable of limited rotary motion relatively thereto, a, pin on the other of said connectible members, a springy tongue on said sleeve and having its free end bent to define a curve, said tongue being dapted to slide over and have the curved portion f its free end abut said pin to hold said pair of connectible members in assemsaid connectible members, a springy tongue on said sleeve adapted to slide over and have the free endthereof abut said pin to hold said pair of connectible members in locked position, means on said sleeve providing a guard for said tongue, 5

tongue into alined relation with said pin when said connectible members are in their assembled position and while they are being moved 'into assembled relation.

4. A separable electric connecter comprising a pair of connectible members, plug and socket contacts thereon, a pin on one of said members, a springy tongue on the other .of said connectible members and capable of limited rotary motion relatively thereto, said tongue being adapted to so slide over and have the free end thereof abut said pin to hold said pair of connectible members in locked position, spring means cooperating with tacts thereon, a sleeve on one of said connectible 38 members and capable of limited rotary motion relatively thereto, locking means for said pair of connectible members whereby said connectible members may be moved to locked and assembled position without necessitating rotary movement of said sleeve, said locking means comprising a pin on the other of said connectible members, a springy tongue on said sleeve adapted to slide over and have the free end thereof abut said pin, and a spring connected with and urging said 5 sleeve to maintain said tongue in alined relation with said pin when said pair of connectible members are in their assembled relation and while they are being moved into assembledrelation, said sleeve being rotatable to unlock said connectible members.

6. A separable electric connecter comprising a pair of connectible members, plug and socket contacts thereon, a sleeve mounted at its rear end on one of said connectible members and beingarranged capable of limited rotary motion relatively to said member, a springy tongue on the forward end of said sleeve and having its free end directed rearwardly, a pin onthe other connectible member, said tongue being adapted w to slide over and have the free end thereof abut said pin to hold said pair of connectible members in locked and assembled condition, and a spring connected with and urging said sleeve to maintain said tongue in alined relation with said pin when said pair of connectible members are in their as, sembled and locked relation and while they are being moved into assembled relatiomsaid sleeve being rotatable to unlock said connectible members.

. to 7. A separable electricconnecter comprising a pair 'of connectible members, plug and socket contacts thereon, a sleeve on one of said connectible members and capable of limited rotary motion relatively thereto, a hood formed in said sleeve,

locking means whereby said pair of conneotible members are adapted to be put in assembled and locked relation by a simple rectilinear movement of said pair of members and without necessitating rotary motion of said sleeve, said locking means comprising a first locking member in said hood and a second locking member on the other connectible member and in alined relation with said first locking member, and spring means connected with and urging said sleeve to maintain said first locking member in alined relation with said secand locking member when said pair of connectible members are in assembled and locked relation, said sleeve being rotatable to release said locking members.

8. A separable electric connecter comprising a pair of connectible members, plug and socket contacts thereon, a sleeve on one of said connectible members and capable of limited rotary motion relatively thereto, locking means whereby said pair of connectible members are adapted to be put in assembled and locked relation by a'simple rectilinear movement of said pair of members and without necessitating rotary motion of said sleeve, said locking means comprising a first locking member on said sleeve and a second locking member on the other connectible member and in alined relation said first locking member in alined relation with said second locking member when said pair or connectible members are in assembled and locked relation, said sleeve being rotatable to release 15 said locking members.

THOMAS E. MCDOWELL. 

